Dawn’s POV
My eyes were glued to the landscape rushing beneath us as the helicopter cut through the evening sky. The terrain below looked familiar, stirring mories I’d tried to bury deep.
Then I saw it. My breath caught in my throat as we soared over what used to be my ho base. The place where I’d spent most of my life was now nothing but ruins and ash.
The sight hit harder than I expected. Buildings that once stood tall and proud were now charred skeletons against the darkening sky. Debris scattered across the compound like broken teeth, telling the story of the brutal attack Elena and Damien had unleashed on this place. They’d wiped everyone out, leaving nothing but devastation in their wake.
But seeing the destroyed base told exactly where we were headed. My stomach dropped as the realization sank in. We were flying toward the Obsidian pack territory. Damien’s domain. The place where my younger siblings lived.
Three little ones I’d never even had the chance to et. They were just children, innocent and unaware of the war raging around them. The thought of them being caught in whatever Corbin had planned made my blood run cold.
I caught Corbin watching from across the helicopter, that familiar cruel smile playing at his lips. He’d noticed my reaction and was clearly enjoying my distress. I forced my expression to remain neutral, pretending my upset was solely about seeing my forr ho in ruins.
The base had been my world for so long. Every building, every corner held mories of training sessions, missions, and the people who’d beco my family. Now it looked like a graveyard, abandoned and forgotten. The sight of the destruction made my chest tighten with an emotion I couldn’t quite na.
My thoughts drifted to Liam and Sophie, my closest friends from the base. Had they escaped when the attack ca? Were they sowhere safe, or had they been among the casualties? The not knowing gnawed at . They’d probably despise now if they knew about my connection to Elena and Damien, but I just wanted them to be alive.
The helicopter began its descent, landing in a clearing several miles from our target. The rotors slowly wound down as we prepared to disembark. Corbin barked orders as we gathered our gear and ford up for the march through the forest.
Walking through the dense woodland brought back mories of countless training exercises. The familiar weight of weapons, the sound of boots on forest floor, the careful navigation through underbrush. But this ti felt different. This ti I wasn’t sure whose side I was really on.
Hours passed as we trekked deeper into werewolf territory. The sun had long since disappeared, leaving us to navigate by moonlight and instinct. My enhanced vision was beginning to sharpen, allowing to see details that would be invisible to human eyes. Every texture of bark on the trees, every small creature settling in for the night, every shadow and movent registered with crystal clarity.
Asher had been walking unusually slowly, falling behind the main group. I stayed close to him, sensing sothing was different about his behavior. Corbin was far ahead, leading the formation and barking occasional orders back to us.
Suddenly, Asher’s hand closed around mine, stopping in my tracks. His grip was firm, urgent. He pressed a finger to his lips, signaling for complete silence. We watched as the rest of the group continued forward, Corbin’s voice growing fainter as the distance between us increased.
When the others were far enough ahead that we couldn’t see their forms anymore, Asher tugged my hand and we veered off the established path. Instead of following the main group toward the Obsidian pack, we slipped sideways into the deeper forest.
The mont we were far enough from the others, Asher broke into a run, pulling along beside him. We moved swiftly through the darkness, our footsteps muffled by the thick carpet of fallen leaves.
"What the hell are you doing?" I hissed, my heart pounding from more than just the exertion.
"They know about us," Asher replied, his voice tight with urgency. "Corbin and the others, they’re suspicious. When we get back to base, we’re both dead. We can’t return."
The words hit like a physical blow. "We have to go back. Elena and Damien are still there. And what about all the people at the Obsidian pack? There are families there, refugees from the evacuated territories."
Asher’s grip on my hand tightened as we continued running. "Listen to carefully. The Obsidian pack is empty. Elena and Damien moved everyone to a secure location that the Hunters don’t know about. Every civilian, every refugee, they’re all safe sowhere else."
"But Elena and Damien—"
"They’re fine," Asher cut off. "They have their own protection. Right now, our priority is getting you sowhere safe."
We ran until we reached an unusual cliff face that seed to rise out of nowhere. Asher stopped abruptly, scanning the area with practiced eyes, clearly looking for sothing specific.
The sound of footsteps behind us made spin around, weapon raised instinctively. A figure erged from the shadows, moving with an otherworldly grace that was neither fully human nor werewolf.
"Lower your weapon, Dawn," Asher said calmly. "He’s here to help us escape."
I kept my gun trained on the stranger. "Who is he?"
The man’s lips curved into an enigmatic smile. "I’m a ghost."
Asher stepped forward, relief evident in his posture. "Good to see you, Julian."
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